Safetyism might be frightening to travel with a newborn, especially if it’s your first time. When traveling with a newborn or toddler for the first time can be a very anxious experience. However, a majority of the time. not everytime, they manage to stay relaxed and content in your arms during the flight.
Conversations around Safetyism in Air Transportation
Recently, there have been discussions about requiring parents to purchase an additional plane ticket for their lap child. Frankly, it has generated some controversy.
According to the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, providing “a seat for every soul” will improve safety. But it’s just another instance of “safetyism,” as it’s known.
The justification for this law is an out-of-date recommendation. Such law requires lap children be protected with blankets and put on the ground in an emergency. However, this technique is no longer advised. And, using a car seat to confine a child while flying is not required.
Driving has statistically more accidents and injuries than flying does. Even the incoming president of the American Academy of Pediatrics admits that it can be difficult for parents who are limited in cash to purchase an additional ticket for a car seat and may end up driving instead.
Can you picture a plane full of whiny babies and toddlers whose parents are unable to console them because they are buckled in a car seat? For anyone, that is not a fun experience.
What’s best for a child should ultimately be up to the parent. Outside regulations shouldn’t impose a needless safety measure that simply serves to complicate our lives. So let’s continue making traveling with our kids fun and stress-free!
DO’H! – A Final Thought
As a rad dad who loves traveling with my family, I know how important it is to prioritize safety when we’re on the go. But when it comes to the controversial issue of lap children on flights, it’s important to consider the facts.
The truth is, requiring parents to purchase an extra ticket for their young child might not actually be the safest or most practical solution. It’s just another example of “safetyism” – the tendency to prioritize safety above all else, even when it doesn’t make sense.
Ultimately, the decision of whether to use a car seat or hold your child in your lap should be up to you as the parent. So my question to you is: how do you balance safety and practicality when traveling with your kids?
